Thursday Thoughts 1/19/17

Thursday Thoughts (1/19/17)

In a recent seminary class, our professor asked this question, “What does the theology of the songs we sing in worship say about what we believe about God?” The question was rather thought provoking. While my thought is not about hymns or contemporary music, I am reminded that many who dislike the current trend in music argue that today’s music is full of fluff. I am not sure that is a fair accusation, as there are hymns that have poor theology, but people like the tunes so they just overlook the issues.

The church, in the early centuries of Christianity, would take into consideration what was a part of its liturgy as a way of determining what they truly believed about God. That is, what the church confessed about God in worship and prayer was what the church truly believed. As I contemplated the professors question, I began wondering what our worship really says about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the confessions of the first five centuries of the Church. Have we wandered from our theological foundations and projected some new image of God, that is actually an image of ourselves or our culture?

As a believer in Christ and as an ambassador of the Kingdom of Heaven, I realize that my life is to reflect the Image of God. That is, when people look at my attitudes, conduct, dreams, hopes, desires, they are to see the nature of Christ Jesus living and flowing through me. The whole of my life is a theological reflection, that ought to be, of God. However, I must constantly and consistently sit at the feet of Jesus, allowing him to guide and direct me, so that his reflection remains pure in my heart.

Christ Jesus is the perfect Image of God, as he is both God and man. I am not a perfect image (yet), but it is possible to remain perfect in the desire to allow the Image of God to reflect off my life. The fact that I am not perfect in performance is not a license to fall short of the mark of his image. The nature of Christ Jesus that dwells in me points out where I fall short. His desire for me to be perfected leads me to make corrections, so that I more purely reflect his image.

There is a lot of poor theology in our world. Some Christians will trade in correct theology for a humanistic image of God. Instead of letting God reflect off them, they reflect their own thoughts and ideas onto God. When we do this our god becomes and idol. We begin believing things about God that are nothing more than our own image.

Oh, Lord may my life be a true reflection of who you are revealing yourself to be. May my thoughts about you fall away, so that you might fully manifest your image in my life. I am dependent on your Holy Spirit to reveal to me your will. Forgive me for casting an image before you and labeling it god. For you alone are God, Christ Jesus is my savior and living example, and your Holy Spirit is my guide and comforter. May the world know you as they observe my life in you. Amen.

Thursday Thoughts 1/12/17

I have never been one to make New Year resolutions. The whole thing seems to be an act of futility. Instead, I try to make daily resolutions. Perhaps it is my short attention span, or my practical approach to life. I have no idea what tomorrow is going to bring, but I can live in the moments that I have right now.

This week has been my first full week back in the office after the passing of my dad. In fact, today marks one month since his death. So, I resolved each day to be productive. To contact some folks that I had been thinking about, and to organize my calendar before I start my last full semester of seminary. I cleaned off the pile on my desk, filed important stuff, and circular filled the junk. I made some important changes in the church foyer, plowed the church parking lot, and blew snow out of two of our folks drives. Now it is Thursday and I got to thinking.

Jesus once told us not to worry about tomorrow because today has enough troubles of its own. None of us can add a day to our life by worry. I noticed he did not say you couldn’t add a day by not worrying. So, maybe Jesus knew that if his disciples would cease worrying about Rome, and persecution, and all the other things that might, or could happen, that they would be productive in the day that they had before them.

A few weeks ago, someone shared (in church) that terrorists were plotting to attack small churches that Sunday. I don’t think any churches were attacked (surprise). Yet, someone had to start spreading that rumor and certainly some folks got worried about that day. Jesus didn’t say we wouldn’t have concern’s today, he said not to worry about tomorrow. So, I have chosen to take time each day to set the priorities that will accomplish my goals for today, and if there is a tomorrow, I have already built the foundation for that day. Of course, for me, that foundation must be built on Christ Jesus.

The plans of humanity are faulty. I want to plan according to the will of God. What he is trying to accomplish, is what I want to be doing today. I chose not to be concerned about what might happen. All I can do is live into the revelation God gives me through Christ Jesus, then I must trust. That trust must be manifested in action. Trust without action is useless. Faith without works is dead.

So, if you have already bailed on your New Year resolution. Resolve to accomplish God’s good work today. When you go to bed we will feel content, and if you rise tomorrow then you will have an opportunity to build on the work of yesterday. Just a thought.